Capital Fest

Partner with NCHE in Serving Home Educators in NC and Beyond

Membership

Become part of an organization devoted to serving NC homeschoolers. Help us advance our threefold purpose: PROTECT the freedom of educating at home, PROVIDE encouragement & support to families who choose home education for their children, and PROMOTE home education as an educational alternative

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Remembering the Reason, Renewing the Vision

Event:

2013 NCHE Annual Conference and Book Fair

Interest:

General interest to all parents

A general overview of the challenges, burdens and benefits of homeschooling from a veteran homeschool father and leader. Addressing the potential homeschooler, the new homeschooler, the veteran homeschooler and all homeschoolers in between, Michael Smith outlines the success of homeschooling in academics and socialization, describes legal and legislative advances and concludes that homeschoolers have earned the right to be left alone. For homeschoolers who are losing the vision, he reminds them of the benefits of homeschooling and offers some practical suggestions for relieving the pressure on the homeschooling family, especially Mom. “Thank you for confirming the experience of my public education,” writes one parent, “and for convicting us even more of our commitment to bettering the lives of our children.”

Michael Smith and his wife, Elizabeth, along with Michael Farris and his wife, Vickie, incorporated Home School Legal Defense Association in 1983 and were the original board members. Mike graduated from the University of Arkansas. Upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Navy and served three years before attending law school at the University of San Diego. In 1972, he was admitted to the bar in California and also has been admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States. Mike and his family began homeschooling because their five-year-old flunked kindergarten. This was quite a disappointment to Mike in light of the fact that he was preparing this child to be President of the United States by starting his education as early as possible. His family’s life changed drastically when he heard a radio program in 1981 which introduced him to the idea of homeschooling. After spending lots of time around people like Mike Farris, he became convinced he had been called to use his gifts and talents in the legal profession to assist homeschoolers who were being prosecuted. Mike came to HSLDA full-time in 1987 and has served as president of the organization since the year 2001. All of Mike’s children are now grown. The most enjoyable part of Mike’s job is when he is able to go to homeschool conferences and meet what he calls America’s greatest heroes, homeschooling moms.